“Why?”
“Because whoever burned it down might want to do it again. ”
“Do you know who burned it?”
Tom didn’t answer. Instead he considered the sky. It was still blue, but a moist haze was forming. “It’s going to rain tonight. I don’t want to waste the rest of the day talking about stuff like that. ”
“Like what? You’re not telling me anything. Did the Lost Girl see something? And could she really say something against Charlie?”
“Ben, you’re asking questions I don’t know the answers to. Could she have seen something or know something? Maybe. Probably. What matters is that Charlie seems to think so. That’s why he started the rumors that she was just a ghost story or that she died a long time ago. He can’t find her, and he doesn’t want anyone else looking. ”
“So he had nothing to do with her picture being on the card?”
“Not a chance. Having people think she was real and having a picture of her to help identify her if she was ever found … Those are the last things Charlie would want. ” Tom paused. “Charlie isn’t a good person, kiddo, and he’s not a forgiving one. Like most people of his kind, he’s motivated by fear. ”
“Fear? What could Charlie be afraid of?”
Tom said, “The truth. A lot of people are afraid of that. ”
Benny nodded even though he didn’t fully understand what Tom meant.
“Can I have my card back?”
Tom took the card from his shirt pocket and studied it for a moment, then handed the card to Benny. “I can’t say I’m happy to find out that Rob sold this to the printers. I asked him not to. Stirring up trouble with Charlie isn’t the smartest move. ”
Benny smoothed the card against his shirt front. “Why do you think Mr. Sacchetto painted the Lost Girl card after you asked him not to?”
“People do stupid things when they need money. ”
“He doesn’t look broke. ”
“He’s not, but for most people there’s never enough money. ”
“Is this going to cause a lot of trouble?” Benny asked.
Tom looked back the way they’d come. “I hope not, but …” He let the rest of his sentence hang.
“Mr. Sacchetto said that you saw the Lost Girl a couple of months ago, but he said I had to ask you to tell me about her. ”
The trees around them were filled with birdsong, and cicadas droned inces
santly in the tall grass. Tom leaned his forearms on the fence and sighed.
“We haven’t really talked much since we got back,” he said. “I know that what we saw hit you pretty hard. I know that our relationship has changed a bit. As brothers, I mean. ”
After a slight pause, Benny nodded.
“So here’s the problem, kiddo,” said Tom, “and maybe you can help me sort it out. I’m not entirely sure who you are. I mean, you’re not really a kid anymore, and you’re not an adult. You’re not the annoying brat I’ve been living with for the last fourteen years. ”
“Eat me,” said Benny with a grin.
“Zombies wouldn’t eat you. They have standards. ” Tom pushed himself off the fence. “So, you’re going through all these changes, and I don’t know who you’ll be at the end of it. ”
“How’s this all going to lead into you telling me about the Lost Girl?”
“That’s the problem. Last time I checked, you thought Charlie Pink-eye was—and I quote—‘The Man. ’ The Hammer too. But a few minutes ago I saw you holding your own against Charlie. That didn’t look like a friendly chat, but if there’s even the slightest chance you’re going to share a single word of this with Charlie or the Hammer, then I can’t and won’t say a single word about Lilah. On the other hand, if I thought that I could trust you—completely and without reservation—then I might consider telling you the whole story. ”
“You can—,” Benny began, but Tom stopped him with a raised finger.